This document provides information on the carrot plant. It begins with the botanical name, family, and origin of carrots. It then discusses carrot production in India, with Haryana being the leading producer. The document covers carrot varieties, uses, ideal soil and climate conditions, planting methods, and post-harvest handling. It describes several diseases that affect carrots, including crown rot, cottony soft rot, root dieback, and bacterial soft rot. Control methods are outlined for each disease. The document concludes with information on storage issues like bitterness and phenolic browning.

1. BIBASWAN MOHANTY
95A/11
B.Sc (Ag)
2011-15

2. • Botanical Name : Daucus carota
• Family : Umbelliferae/ Apiaceae
• Centre of Origin : Central asia
• Pollination System : Cross
pollinated
• Chromosome no. : 2n=18
CARROT

3. INTRODUCTION
It is an annual or biennial herb with an erect and
much branched stem, 30 to 120 cm tall arising
from a thick fleshy taproot, 5-30 cm long bearing
flowers borne in umbels.
The main carrot growing states are Haryana,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab and Uttar
Pradesh.
Haryana is leading producer of carrot in India
followed by Andhra Pradesh
C = CAROTENE rich.
A = precursor of VIT-A.
R = RIBOFLAVIN rich.
R = ROOT CROP.
O = anti-OXIDANT
T = TASTE of salad.

4. USED FOR:
Total area in India-62220 Ha
Total production in India-1.15MT
Haryana-Area-18870 Ha
Production-0.36MT
Rajasthan-Area-1120 Ha
Production-4260T
Human consumption as well as for forage and particularly for
feeding horses.
Raw as SALAD , cooked in curries, pickles, sweetmeats.
Black carrots are used for the preparation of a sort of beverage
called “KANJI”-supposed to be a good appetiser

5. SOIL
Carrots grows well drained, deep, loose, sandy
loam soils rich in humus and having a pH 5.5-
7.0.
Soils free of clods are preferred for smooth
straight roots.
Compared to sandy soils, carrots grown on
heavy soils tend be more rough and coarse as
the soil compaction affects root growth and
length.
Very loose or highly compact soils are
detrimental to growth of roots.

6. CLIMATE
Carrot is a cool season crop growing under a wide range of
rainfall.
A temperature range of 7- 23ºC is considered optimum for
seed germination while for better root growth 10-15ºC is
ideal.
Very high or low temperature is not conducive for proper
development of roots.
At higher temperatures, the roots become shorter, thicker
and non-juicy while at lower temperatures (10 to 15º C)they
become longer.
At 10-15ºC=develop poor color.
15-20ºC=develop good color.
20-25ºC=develop less bright color.

7. LAND PREPARATION
0 The land should be thoroughly ploughed so that the clods do not
interfere with the root development.
0 Well decomposed FYM (25 t/ha) is mixed at the time of land
preparation. Application of fresh un-decomposed FYM should be
avoided as it leads to forking of the fleshy roots.
SEASON OF PLANTING
0 The crop is sown during January- February, June- July and
October-November.
0 In the mild climate carrot can be grown almost all the year
round except few summer months.
0 For regular supply of fresh and tender roots, the sowing should
be staggered and done at 15 or 20 days interval.
0 The seed rate of5-6 kg/ha is recommended.

8. METHOD OF PLANTING
 Carrot is a usually grown on ridge or at flat land to facilitate good
root development.
 The seeds are dibbled at 1.5 cm depth at a spacing of 30 x8 cm.
 For enhancing germination, the seeds are soaked in water for 12-24
hours before sowing
MANURE & FERTILIZER
 The fertilizer dose depends upon the fertility of soil and amount of
organic manure applied to the crop.
 For a good yield, 25 t/ ha of well-decomposed FYM is incorporated
into the soil.
 Generally, application of 100kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 60 kgK2O is
recommended for optimum yield.

9. INTERCULTURAL OPERATIONS
 If sowing is done thick, thinning should be done to allow
each root enough space for its proper growth.
 Intercultural operations like weeding and hoeing are
necessary to check the weed growth and provide soil
aeration.
 Earthing up of roots along with weeding is done to prevent
exposure of roots to atmosphere and consequent
discoloration.
 Stoddard solvent ,a petroleum product@700-1400
ltrs/hectare use as weedicide.

10. IRRIGATION
 Irrigation is given immediately after sowing.
 Depending upon the planting season and the
available soil moisture, carrots may be
irrigated at 10-12 days interval during winter
and 5-6 days interval during summer.
Irrigation should be discontinued 2-3 weeks
before harvesting to increase the sweetness
and taste of the carrots.

11. VARIETIES

12. VARITIES USED IN OTHER COUNTRIES
 USA-Processing purpose =red Cored Chantenay, Danvers
Half Long, Imperator.
 New Zealand-Akaroa Long Red, Spring Market Improved,
aWanganui Giant
 Japan-Suko
 Belgium-Belgian White
 France-Chantenay, Nantes, Oxheart, Touchon
 Australia-Red Elephant, Western Red, Yellow
 Netherlands-Early Horn

13. HARVESTING
The edible roots become ready for harvesting in about100-120
days depending on the variety.
A light irrigation may be given a day before harvesting to
facilitate lifting of roots.
Crop is harvested manually by uprooting individual plant with
the help of KHURPI.
Carrots for processing purpose are left in the ground
for a longer period.
After harvesting the green tops are cut and the carrots
are separated and washed.
Yield- Generally, Asiatic types yield 25-30 t/ha whereas
European types yield 10-15 t/ha.
The seed yield is 500-600 k.g/hectare.

14. GRADING
Carrots are graded according to their size , diameter or
length.
The carrot should ideally, be of uniform and similar
shape for the variety, well formed , smooth, firm but of
tender texture.
It should also be free from harvest damage , decay ,
disease or insects.
PACKAGING
Carrots are packed in baskets or gunny bags before
sending to market.
These are sometimes marketed along with their tops
to indicate freshness.

15. STORAGE
a) Temperature is the most important factor
affecting the storage of carrots.
b) Carrots can be stored for 3-4 days under
ambient conditions.
c) However in cold storage, topped carrots can
be stored at temperatures of 0 - 4.4 C with
93-98% relative humidity for 6months.bn
d) Un topped carrots can be stored only for 10-
14 days at 0 C.

16. Post harvest diseases of carrot
 Sour rot - Geotrichum candidum
 Crown rot - Rhizoctonia solani
 Cottony soft rot - Sclerotinia sclerotiarum
 Phytophthora root rot - Phytophthora megasperma
 Black rot - Alternaria radicina
 Root dieback - Pythium debaryanum
 Bacterial soft rot - Erwinia carotovora sub sp. caotovora
Insect pest in carrot
 Carrot weevil
 Six spotted leaf hopper= transmit carrot yellow virus
 Carrot rust fly

17. CROWN ROT - Rhizoctonia solani
 Damping-off of carrot seedlings and a crown rot later and during
storage
 Field symptoms include premature senescence and death of foliage
 On carrot roots - dark brown sunken lesions or cankers near the
crown or in other parts of the root – cavity spot
Cultural practices that reduce crown injury and
enhance soil drainage and air circulation within the
canopy are recommended.
Plant debris from previous crops should be removed
before planting carrots.
Carrots should not follow perennial crops such as
alfalfa.
Quintozene – sprayed in the soil before sowing-
effective control.

18. COTTONY SOFT ROT / WHITE MOULD -
Sclerotinia sclerotiarum
 Foliage - water soaked, dark olive-green lesions
associated with collapsed tissues
 Lesions expand rapidly over the entire leaf, petiole, and
rosette with infected tissues
 Covered by abundant cottony, white mycelium
Lesions of sclerotinia rot advancing
on carrot petioles and the rosette Collapsed leaves and petioles

19. CONTROL
 Storage - Good ventilation
 Use of clean containers, maintenance of temp near 0oC
and RH - 95%
MANAGEMENT
 Maintaining adequate soil drainage
 Avoid prolonged periods of water saturation
 Storage conditions - temperature at 32º F and RH
<95%

20. ROOT DIEBACK-
Pythium debaryanum, P. aphanidermatum
 Pythium brown rot and forking.
 Root dieback of carrots produces excessively branched or
stubbed roots.
 Fungus kills young tap roots after seed germination, reducing
root length and/or stimulating forking.
 Forking and stubbing occur, but these symptoms can also be
caused by soil compaction, nematodes.

21. CONTROL
Avoiding excessive watering
By providing good field drainage
Planting carrots in deep, friable and well
drained soils
Post emergence fungicides - Mefenoxam -
to control damping-off

22. BACTERIAL SOFT ROT - (Erwinia carotovora
sub sp. carotovora)
 Cells become water soaked, middle lamella is destroyed and the
cells collapse
 Soft, watery or slimy consistency
 Rotted tissues – grey to brown, accompanied by foul odour
 In the field, tops of rotted carrots turn yellow and wilt as roots
break down

23. CONTROL
 Careful handling at harvest - minimizes bruising of
carrot roots
 Washing - dipping in a solution of sodium hypochlorite
(5.25%)
 Storage condition - temp- just above freezing(0oC), RH
90 %
 Crop rotation - alfalfa, beans, beets, corn

24. SOUR ROT – Geotrichum candidum
Soft, watery, colorless decay on carrot roots
Decayed area - covered with dull, white spores of the
pathogen and a vinegar-like odour may develop
Fungus - soil inhabitant that infects carrots through
wounds
In storage – warm temp (greater than 32°F) and
improperly ventilated

25. CONTROL
In the field
 Good field drainage
 Minimizing wounding of carrots
 In storage
 Good sanitation (use of new or disinfected storage containers)
 Precooling and storing carrots at 32º F is essential

26. CRATER ROT- Rhizoctonia carotae-
Band of dark brown necrosis around the
crown and horizontal brown canker-like
lesions mostly on the crown and upper roots
Small pits subsequently developed beneath
the lesions, that enlarged into sunken brown
crater lines with a white, flocculent mycelium
produced under high humidity

27. Typical crater rot caused by
R. caratoe on carrot roots.
Note: dark brown decay
(arrows) around the crown
and upper parts of the root.

28. BITTERNESS
 Carrots can develop off-flavors or bitterness in cool storage.
The cause of these off-flavors is the production of compounds in
carrots called isocoumarins. Isocoumarins develop when carrots
are exposed to ethylene.
 Ethylene is a gas produced naturally by many fruits and
vegetables, such as apples, bananas and tomatoes during ripening.
 Carrots can be stored in sealed plastic bags in domestic
refrigerators containing ethylene producing fruit.

29. PHENOLIC BROWNING
Phenolic browning (or surface browning) is seen as a
browning or discoloration of the surface of carrot.
It can develop when carrots are washed and stored in
cool rooms for long periods before packing.
Abrasion caused by mechanical washing often
removes the epidermal layer (outer skin), exposing the
carrot tissue to oxidation of phenolic compounds,
which turn brown, or black in severe cases.
Phenolic browning can be confused with ‘5 o’clock
shadow’ or boron deficiency of carrots.

30. MANAGEMENT
 Rapid removal of field heat.
 Application of Dowicide (Ophenylphenol) @
98 g/L.
 6 – methoxy mellen increase resistance
 Cholorothalonil – Seed and soil application.
 8 years rotation with non host crop.
 Using disease free seed.
 Bacillus subtilis & T.viride application.